Coach Jim’s swim teaching terms you will hear around the pool

Back to the wall – Student swims around the instructor back to the wall (safety drill)

Chicken wing, airplane, rocket ship – Elementary backstroke. Like Zipper, thumbs slide up the body to form chicken wings, both arms extended away from body to form an airplane, then it’s blast off as both arms sweep down to rocket ship

Crush the can, angel, bow – Butterfly arm pull and kick. What is your favorite soft drink? Put your hands on top of a big can and crush it down to your hips, then sweep both arms forward like an angel’s wings, bow from the hips

Doggie Digs – Swim like a big dog not like a little dog. First phase of teaching Freestyle arm stroke. Reaching the arms forward out of the water producing a long stroke

Heels, toes, out and around – Breaststroke kick. On your stomach, legs straight, touch your heels together and bring your heels to your bottom as close as you can. Point your toes sideways, and kick both legs out and around like a frog

Listen to the fish, talk to the fish – Side breathing freestyle. Listen to fish, head is sideways taking a breath; talk to the fish, face in the water exhaling air.

Pizza belly – Backstroke body position promoting streamlining – keeping your stomach and hips close to the surface. What does your belly look like after you eat three pizzas!

Rollovers – Rolling from front to back float in streamline position.

Sail boat, karate chop, rocket ship – Full competitive backstroke. Straight arm recovery over the shoulder to form a sailboat mast at 90 degrees. Hands enter little pinky first or karate chop, followed by arm sweeping down to the side.

Sneaky Alligator – Keeping your body in a streamline position, arms together one hand on top of other reaching forward eyes looking at the bottom of pool

Super Swim – swimming off of the wall with arms stretched out in the superman position

Y, shiver, punch or also known as show me a pizza, slice it in half – breaststroke arm pull. Keep arms straight as they sweep out to form the letter “Y”. Hands and elbows sweep in front of chin like it’s cold and you’re shivering. Hands and arms reach forward (punch) into streamline position

Zipper – Second phase of teaching Freestyle arm stroke – thumbs touch sides of body as they act like a zipper from your hip up to your arm pit. Teaches arms moving in a forward motion instead of swinging to the side

Jim Montgomery Owner/Instructor

Since 1981, Jim has developed the Masters swim concept and is currently part owner of the Dallas Aquatic Masters Swim Club, one of the top adult fitness exercise programs in the country. From 1988-1990, Jim was responsible for the design and start up of the Baylor Aquatic Center located at the Baylor Tom Landry Fitness Center in Dallas, Texas. It was the first facility ever built with the primary focus on adult fitness swimming and aquatic medical programming and research.
From 1990 through 1999, he served as director of the Baylor Aquatic Center. Since 1998, Jim has served as aquatics director and head varsity swim coach at Greenhill School in Dallas, Texas. Jim is the author of the book Mastering Swimming.
Jim has been a consistent champion throughout his swimming career. He has held 10 world records and won 9 World Championships, 14 Masters World Championships, 14 national titles and 7 N.C.A.A. titles. As a member of the 1976 U.S.A. Olympic Team, Jim won three gold medals and one bronze medal, and was the first man ever to break 50 seconds in the 100-meter freestyle. Read more about Jim and watch his record breaking Olympic Swim.
Jim became a certified adult fear of water instructor in 2008.
Full Bio